Human genomes can be sequenced for $1,000

The cost of sequencing human genomes continues to fall. The company Illumina has said that its newest sequencing system can churn out whole human genomes for $1,000 apiece.

Illumina CEO Jay Flatley said, according to the MIT Technology Review, that, when used at scale, the new HiSeq X Ten system — which comprises 10 integrated sequencers — can process whole human genomes for $1,000 each. The announcement at the end of the week was enough to lift the company’s shares by as much as 10 percent as the market signals suggested the company could tap into a market worth up to $20 billion.

Illumina is an American company incorporated in April 1998 that develops, manufactures and markets integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and biological function. Using its technologies, the company provides a line of products and services that serve the sequencing, genotyping and gene expression markets.

The $1,000 tag is made up of $800 for reagents, $135 for equipment depreciation over four years, and $65 for overhead, such as staff, according to a cost breakdown, according to the blog Opinomics.